MÁS DE 1000 AÑOS DE EXPLOTACIÓN MINERA EN LA SIERRA DE FAMATINA. LA RIOJA, ARGENTINA

Abstract

This paper presents the results of the analytical techniques applied to a group of metal objects from archaeological sites in northern Sanagasta Aguada and La Rioja, corresponding to the Middle Period (ca. 600-900 AD) and Late (ca.1000-1480 DC)respectively. These results in turn are compared with those of the analysis applied to samples of raw materials extracted from a quarry in the vicinity of some of the sites studied, and also with samples from the mine La Mexicana (Sierra de Famatina). In summary, we propose to advance knowledge of metallurgical technology and the origin of the sources of raw materials used between 900 and 1480 AD, in the northern province of La Rioja.

Keywords

• archaeometallurgy
• Sanagasta and Aguada objects
• technology and raw material sources